Stuart Lancaster suggested on Monday that Chris Ashton is all but irreplaceable for England, as one of a rare breed of ‘world-class’ finishers in Test rugby.

But in Ashton’s enforced absence, the head coach insists his team can score tries against Fiji on Saturday.

The cross-code Saracens wing is serving a one-match ban for three yellow-card offences this season and without him for the first QBE International at Twickenham, the national team’s potency seems markedly diluted. Ashton has by far the best strike-rate in the senior squad - the next highest try-scorer, Ben Foden, is unavailable all autumn due to injury.

Missing: Ashton has been suspended for England's clash against Fiji on Saturday

ENGLAND'S FINISHING FIGURES

Top try-scorers Ashton (15 in 26 Tests) and Foden (seven in 30) are unavailable, so how do the contenders shape up?

In an ideal world, England would aim to hit the ground running with an all-singing, all-dancing rout of the Pacific Island nation to give them momentum going into the sterner Tests against Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. Without Ashton, the onus will rest on Ugo Monye and Charlie Sharples as the likely wings.

Lancaster was bullish on Monday about his weakened team’s try-scoring potential, saying: ‘Tries come as a product of all sorts of things - good set-piece, strong defence creating turnovers, good kick-chase, all that sort of stuff. We have to get all that right, otherwise it doesn’t matter who you’ve got on the wings.

‘With Charlie Sharples, who can finish, and Ugo Monye, who can finish, we’ve got those and other guys who we think can perform that role. This is their opportunity to put a marker down.’

However, despite his commendable determination to see every glass half-full, the head coach knows he could do with more prolific predators. For now, the top try-scorers in the Aviva Premiership - Wasps pair Tom Varndell and Christian Wade - are being overlooked in favour of players who offer a more all-round package of attacking and defensive qualities.

‘We’ve got some, but it’s something we definitely want to get more of,’ said Lancaster, of the out-and-out finishers like Ashton. ‘But you can’t just manufacture finishers, can you? They come through in the Premiership and we pick them from there.

‘There are players who are playing well in the Saxons - guys like Tom Biggs - but in terms of world-class finishers, there aren’t many around. We’ve got a couple, we feel, but Chris is one of them and unfortunately he isn’t available this weekend.’

Problems to tackle: Ashton

In the absence of Ashton, Foden and injured rookie centre Jonathan Joseph, there are concerns that the England side may lack a sufficient quota of backs blessed with a game-breaking spark of magic. Lancaster dismissed that notion, adding: ‘It doesn’t have to be on the wing - Danny Care, Ben Youngs, Alex Goode, Toby Flood, Owen Farrell. There are lots of playmakers in our team who can change the course of a game.’

Meanwhile, the head coach revealed he has spoken to Ashton about the need to channel his aggressive streak, to avoid more stints in the sin-bin and suspensions. The 25-year-old has been punished for three dangerous tackles already this season. ‘I’ve had a chat with Chris,’ Lancaster said.

‘One of his real strengths is his competitive nature. It’s about tempering that to make sure we get the best out of it, alongside working on his tackle technique. He’s more disappointed than anyone that he’s not available, but he’s got to put that frustration to bed and work on those areas to make sure he is ready for next week.’

Wasps lock Joe Launchbury was called up on Monday after club colleague Tom Palmer was unable to train last week due to a tight calf. But Palmer did train on Monday and should be fit, along with prop Joe Marler and No 8 Ben Morgan. Alex Corbisiero, the London Irish loosehead, should play for the Exiles this weekend and be ready for Australia next week.